Fuel distribution and vaporization



@et 20,1931. H. A. TRUssELl. 11,827,830 I DISTRIBUTON AND VAPORZTIONl Filed Dec. 14, 1921 tzal mehr@ occ 2er-193i l FUEL DIsrmBU'rroN Ann .vAroBIzA'rIoN i Appiiation mea December 14, 1921, 'serial ivo. 522,419.

My inventionrelates'to improvements infuel distribution and vaporization, pri- I marily for internal combustion engines, and has among 1ts various objects the provision ,6 of a construction which,

AIll) First, automatically regulates the proportion -of fuelvapor and air to produce vthe most economical mixture throughout the entire range of engine oper-ation;

Second, maintainsthe manifold pressure used for idling. as a proximate Lminimum, thereby obvi'atingunnecessary fuel and. lubricating oil consumption when the engine is running at high speed with the throttle closed orlin idling position;

' Third, increases 'the proportion of. air ad'- mitted to the working fluid with any degree of throttle opening-'when the en 'ne speed ap-y proaches, equals or exceeds t e maximum that would vbe producedby lthefuel volume being admitted;

' Fourth, prevents liquid fuel from entering the combustion chamber; i

Fifth, isolates' liquid fuer from the gne 7 25 eral intake passage, vaporizes this fuel and 'j l, 'the-combustion chamber;

mixes it with air, this mixture being admitted tothe general intake passage and Ain turn to Sixth, facilitates starting by admitting air 3 to the working Huid, .this-1s especially effective incase the starting choker is-kept closed too long or in case the choker is used when the engine is warm;

Seventh, furnishes an` efficient and conjvenient method of priming 'to accomplish tarlting acold engine supplied with heavy ue l Eighth, accomplishes thorough. vaporizaf tion of the fuel with the minimum applica- 41 tion of heat tothe Working uuid.

I lattain these objects by the mechanismi the accompanying drawlngs, in

. illustrated in Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine litted "with a manifold and regulator constructed according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the manifold; Figure 3 is a partially broken vertical section of the manifold and showing-the regulator in place;

.l I -v I ,i =F1gure 4 1s an enlarged Isection takenon.

line 4 4 of- F ig'. 3 coupled'with a lsection of the engine .valve port ;I

Figure 5yis an enlarged central section 'of the regulator; and i e Figure 6 is a modification of 'the.'device` shown in Figures 3 and 4. In the particular structureillustrated in 1 the drawings, the invention is applied to an integral inlet and exhaust manifold the precise arrangement, however, need ndt be adhered to as the structure is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made without departing .from the spirit of the invention.` 'v

.s es The invention is .shown .appliedl to a two vcylinder internal combustion engine, it being understood, however, that it is not limited to this particular type of engine, and it is obviousthat the invention ilsapplicable to iIiternal .combustion engines employingv any 'number of cylinders. l

' f The'ma'nifold 10, includes the inlet passage.' 11, the exhaust passage 12, the vpocket 13, and the by-passes 14 14.,` This manifold provides 75 communication from the carburetor 15,

through' the inljetpassage l1, to the cylinders 16 16, and from these cylinders through the exhaust passage 12, .to the atmosphere.

The pocket 13, the by-pa-sses 14.14, and portions of vthe inlet passage 11; adjacent these by-passes are separated from the e'xhaust passage 12, by a thinwa'll and consequently become heated very quickly by exhaust gases; the uppermost orifices of the bypasses 14 v14, (Fig. 4) aref situated inthe `lowest parts of the inlet passage 11, and these by-passes open into the pocket 13, at their lower end; the heat is applied to the lowersides of the by-passes 14 14, and the pocket 13. 9@

, The regulator'l', includes the priming cu'p and air inlet 18, the fluid passage 19, the valve 20, which in interposed between the inlet 18, and-the passage 19, the manually controlled spring 21; the adjustable spring container 95 22, the throttle controlled spring 23, which opposes the action of'thespring 21, the loosely journalled spring container 24, the bellv crank 25, the iuid heating ltube 26, and the electrical heating coil 27 one end 27a of the coil 100 27, is connected to the cup 28, which' is grounded, the other endg27b of the coil 27,

f is connected to the tube 26, the insulation 28',

holds the tube 26, and the coil 27, in place and prevents shortcircuitin j 4,

The spring 29, and -tie insulated terminal 30, (Fig. 4) provide the electrical connection to the tube 26. This electrical heater is ,intended for starting use only and can be connected to be operated in conjunction with the ,starting choker or independently, this isiinmaterial just so the current is applied to the ,coil 27, when difficulty in starting is encountered due to low temperature or heavy fuels, the pocket 13, and the by-passes 1414, being yheated by the exhaust gases in the passage 12,

When the engine is running` under its own power. f

'The regulator 17, is mounted in the manif fold 10, so ,as4 to deliver fluid.' through the passage 19, into the lower part of the, `pocket 13, and subsequently through the by-passes 14 14, and the inlet passage 11, to thecylinders 16 16. c The bell crank 25,"isto be operated by the throttle control mechanism so that lwhen the to control the valve 20'.l E

s a conventional type.

throttle Vis opened thespring container 24, will be moved toward the. center ofthe regulator 17 thereby compressing the spring 23,

which will oppose'the pressure applied t0 the valve 20, by the spring 21, but the maximum tension of the spring 23,'jwillnever be sulficient to force the valve 20, oil' its seat with- 'out the aid of atmospheric pressure and in- Thelcarburetor 15, 1 y fitted with a startingvchoker and athrottle valve; adjustedforpower and flexibility. .I

' In' starting the engine, fluid will be admittedpast the valve 20, if the chokeris closed but notuntil the inlet manifoldpressure is suiiciently low to draw an adequate supply of fuel from thecarburetor lf the fuel bein l used'in thecarburetor'15,is not volatile enoug to beused for starting, a priming charge of more volatile fuel can' beput in the inlet 18,

'this priming chargelv will 'not pass the valve 20, until the mani old pressure is sufficiently lowv to insure hi hvelocity of the priming charge and air t ough the passage 19,an

f the b'y-passies '14414, this Ihigh velocity expedites vaporization and admixture of ing charge and the air. f

the prim- The first part of the priming charge admitted to the passage 19, will consist of liquid vfuel if thelinlet 18, has `been provided with enough fuel to submerge the va1ve`20, the

crease as the fuel levelgin the inlet 18, be"-v comes lower until air only is admitted.'

Anyunvaporized portion of the priming charge and ofthe fuel coming from the carburetor will gravitate into the pocket 13, and l become vaporized by the' ebullition created by the hot air ejected from the submerged outletof the tube .26, through the liquid fuel.l

This fuel inthe pocket becomes ,heavier as the engine continues to run, due to the vaporization'v of the more volatilefuels and the acA the pocket 13, and the by-passes 14 14, are

cumulation of fuel from the carburetor.' But* getting hotterwith each succeeding impulse.

` which promotes'the process -of vaporization; 4the chokeris'to bel released as-rapidly as the engine shows indication of overrichness ofl the working fluid.

rlhe regulator facilitates starting by vvith-A holding the priming charge until the intake suction is suicientlyhi'gh to lrapidly carry itto the combustion chambers, resulting in the instantaneous liberation of sufficient fuel into the inlet passage to prime all of the cylinders; the rapid decrease `of fuel and 'increase of air admitted by the regulator prevents `the engine from quickly stalling due' to an over-rich .mixture if the starti11g`choker'-A is kept closed toolong. Y i v,

Manipulation of the starting chokeris made "less troublesome *than with' the conventional carbureting system which instantly floods the cylinders withv an over-rich chargel and stops the engine vunless the-'choker isparf tially opened as soon as the working fluid is rich enough to burn.

v When the engme isrunning idle and throttled down to the minimum' speed at which it will-be required to run, the tension of the.) A i spring 21, should be Vadjusted bymeans of' the threaded spring container 22, so that the :j f

air withI which the engine will continue to stop if too much air is admitted to the workingfluid, due to insucient tension of the spring 21.

- valve20, will admit the maximum amount of When an engine rotated at highspeed 4 l with thethrottle'valve closed or in idling position, as is the case,with` an automobile coasting withE the engine being used as a brake, high intake suction will be created l.which tends to draw'more lubricating oil past the pistons into'the combustion chamber and to `draw-more fuel Spast the throttle-valve;

'I this will be obviated by the regulator, which j will admit' air into Vthe inlet in volume in-A creasing withfincreased engine speed, thereby 'precluding this'high intake suctionand this waste of lubricatlng oil and fuel, and the engine will be more responsive tothe throttle because ofthe elimination ofthesurplus oil'which would vaccumulate and smolder,` in theVcombustio/n chamber aggravated 'l proportion of fuel' to air will gradually deby the luld drawn from the exhaust `pas- 130 sage; this pumping of fluid to and from the combustion chamber and the exhaust passage is also mitigated by the admission of the additional ai Little or no air is admitted through the regulator whenever the engine is loaded -enough to hold it below approximately half the maximum s eed that the engine could attain from the uel received through a given throttle opening; as soon as the engine ex-V ceeds this speed the pressure in the inlet passage is -decreased and consequently more air is admitted by the regulator in volume increasing with increasing engine speed until the working fluid is lean enough that additional air tends to retard the engine speed, a decrease in engine speed unaccompanied by a change in throttle, opening permits an increase of pressure in the inlet manifold which causes a reduction in the amount of air admitted to the working fluid by the regulator, thus the leanest mixture that can be used to advantage is automatically obtained due to the variable Ipressure of the valve 20, toward its seat accomplished bythe relative tension of the springs 21, and 2 3, and to the differential pressures at the inlet 18, and the passage 19, encountered at different speeds with various throttle openings.

vAny fuel remaining in encountering `the hottest portion of the inlet passage 11, will drain into the by-passes 14 14, and gravitate in contactv with thehottest portion of these toward the pocket 13, the heat of these by-passes and the air admitted to them bythe regulator 17, serves to vaporize the fuel and return it to the manifold 11, liquid fuel which may accumulate in .the

pocket 13, is volatilized by the heat -of this pocket and the air admitted to the bottom of the pocket 13, by the regulator 17.

Liquid fuel is kept in the inlet passa' e 11, as long as issafe, inview of the proba ility of its being drawn into the combustion chamber, so that vaporization of the liquid fuel will bea'ccomplished, in so far as possible, by the heat of the passage 11, any liquid fuel which may reach the pocket 13, from the carburetor 15, while the engine is at normal working temperature will have traveled through the passage 11, and the by-passes 14 14, encountering increasing temperatures enroute which has served to vaporize fuels of various degrees of volatility as-rapidly as sufficiently high temperatures were encountered, the portion lwhich has l'reached the pocket consists of the fuel heavy ends and if not separated from the working uid could not be vaporized by heat without heating the working fluid sufficiently to materially reduce volumetric eiciency. Thus vaporization of the liquid fuel contained in the Working fluid will be` accomplishe'dwith theminimum application of heat and without heatingl `liquid formaran the entire working fluid suliiciently, to vaporize the fuel heavy ends.v

The modification llshown in Fig. 6 is similar in construction to that disclosed in Figures 3 and4 differing in that the lowest point in the inlet passage is beyond the manifold 10, the circumferential groove 32, is provided in the valve port 31, to break the liquid lilm adher ing to the wall of this valve port and to collect liquid fuel, and the by-pass extension 33, is provided in the cylinder 16, the upper end of this extension terminates in this groove and the lower end connects with the by-pass" 14.

This structure is desirable when the valve port 31, can be modiiied to conform to this arrangement injthat the by-pass 33, is situated to" deliver a priming charge at higlivelocity adjacent the entrance to the combustion chamber; liquid fuel in the working fluid comes inl contact with greater area and consequently absorbs more heat before entering the by-pass 14, cthereby vaporizing more of lthe liquid Without removing it from the working fluid passagesll, and 31; liquid fuel in the valve iid and air in the combustion chamber thereby permitting the use of a greater amount of alr.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to cover by Letters Patent 1s:

1. An internal device provided with a heating element; a

. receptacle for a priming charge; avpassage communicating with a working iuid inlet;

combustion engine primingsaid element being situated in; said passage,

and means permitting the'transfer of Huid from said vreceptacle tof said passage, said means preventing this transfer of fluid to said passage and the contact of said fluid with said element unless the suction in said passage is sufliciently high `to cause rapid travel of said fluid therein.

2. In a fuel induction systeml the combination of a primary fuel inlet passage, a pocket below the same, a fluid passage connecting said inlet passage with said pocket, a `vapor passage connecting said pocket andinlet pas-` sage with a combustion chamber and downwardly extending means for admitting air.

directly into said pocket at a point below the topof said pocket and adjacent but spaced from the bottom thereof.

3. In a fuel induction system, the combir :with said pocket, a vapor passage connecting said pocket and inlet passage with a combustion-chamber and means adapted to admit passage and means for admitting heated fluid directly into said pocket, said means comprising a passage having a fuel flow regulator therein, and means for heating said passage.

5. ln combination, a direct fuel inlet passage; a pocket, a fluid assage connecting said inlet passage'with s id pocket, ran exhaust 'passage adapted to heat said pocket, a vapor assaie connectin said inlet assa e and @pocket with combustion chambers, and means for admitting fluid direct-ly into said pocket,

said means comprising a passage, a valve regulating said passage and means to heat.

fluid passing from said passage into the pocket.

6.l In a fuel induction system, a fuel passage leading .to an vengine combustion chamber, a pocket remote from said passage and adapted to receive liquid fuel from it through a fluid passage connectingsaid fuel passage,

' with said pocket, 4means for heating said pocket with exhaust gas, a vapor passage connecting said pocket with said combustion chamber and means for admitting fluid intoj said pocket independently of said fuel -passage and in direct proportion tQ the speed of 'said engineduring normal running of said engine.

7. ln a fuel induction system, a carburetor, a primary fuel mixture passage leading from Y said carburetor to an engine combustion chamber, a pocket below said passage, arestricted passage connecting said fuel mixture passage and said pocket, means for heating said pocket, a passage for delivering vapor from said pocket to said combustion chamber, and means independent of said carburetorI for admitting a progressively leanermixture of fuel and air directly into said pocket.

' 8.`ln combination with an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, a fuel passage connecting said carburetor with a combustion chamber of said engine, `a sump below and'separate. Vfromsaidl passagejinlet arranged to .receiveliquid fuel from said passage, and means for converting said'liquid fuel into an explosive mixture in said sump and then returning 'it to said passage, said.n

last mentionedkmeans including automatic means for delivering auxiliary air to said sump in varying quantities during normal running of said engine. l y

' 9. ln a fuel induction system for an. in-

ternal combustion engine, a carburetor, a fuel taza-sae mixture passage connecting said carburetor with a combustion chamber of said engine, a sump below and separate from said passage inlet arraiiged to receive liquid fuel from said passage, means for converting said liquid fuel into an explosive mixture in said sump and then returning it to said passage and automatic means for delivering auxiliary air to said main passage throughsaid sump during normal running of said engine.

10. ln a fuel induction system, a sump below the main induction passage and separateV therefrom arranged to receive liquid fuel" from said passage and means for carbureting,

auxiliaiyair with said liquidfuel in sai sump and delivering this carbureted air lto said passage, said means including means for automatically delivering said air to said sump in varying quantity`so that it will become .carbureted to explosive form.

ll. In a fuel induction system for `an internal combustion engine, a trap to receive i. unvaporized fuel-from the v,charge in ingress j and means for converting said unvaporizedfi fuel `into combustible form and then return?` ing, it to said charge, said means including means operative during normal running of said engine for automatically supplying auxiliaryrairA in varying amounts to compensate forthe amount of said unvaporizedfuel being converted and to maintain the correct air-fuel ratio to produce lsaid combustible form. l' A 12. ln a fuel induction system for an in'- ternal combustion engine,`a pocket connected with the induction passage adapted to receive liquid fuel present in said passage between the throttle valve and the engine,'and an. air

passage leading from above the fuel level of' said pocket to substantially the bottom of said pocket for increasing the air supply to said a passage and spraying the fuel collected in said pocket.

13. ln a tion passage, a sump `below and separate from said passage arranged to receive liquid'fuel therefrom, means foril heating said sump dependent upon running of said engine, and other means for heating said sump independent of-therunning of said engine.

14;. ln a yfuel induction system for an internal combustion engine, a primary induc. Ati-on passage, -a sump below said passage,

means' for draining liquid fuel from said pas;l

Asage into said lsump, a passage leading from v a point adjacent the bottom of said sump to a point above said sump and opening into the fuel inductionsystem for an internal combustion engine, a primary inducair, and valvular means in the last mentioned Y passage comprising -a -valve adapted to close saidpassage, spring means constantly urging said valve to closed position, spring means urging said valve'toward openv position, and

means for vcontrolling the tension of the last mentioned spring inea/11en 15. In a fuel induction system for an internal combustion-engine, a primary induction passage, a sump below said passage, means for draining liquid fuel from said pas- 4sage into said sump, a passage leading from a point adjacent the bottom of said sump to a poirit above said sump and opening into the air, and valvular means in the last mentioned passage comprising a valve adapted to close said passage, spring means constantly urging said valve to closed position, spring means urging said valve toward open position, and means for lcontrolling the tension of the last mentioned spring means in direct relation to thel throttling of 'said engine whereby the irst mentioned spring means is rendered less effective at greater engine speeds.

In a fuel induction system for an internal combustion engine, in combination, an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a sump below'said intake manifold, means for i draining unvaporized fuel particles from said intake manifold into said sump, a com- .mon wall between said sump and said exhaust manifold whereby said liquid fuel in said sump will be heated, a passageway leading from the air above said sumpterminating close -to the bottom of said sump, valvular means in said passageway for admitting air to said s urnpin direct relation to the speed of said engine, and means for returning the fuel vaporized in said sump mixed with air from saidpassageto said intake manifold.

1'?. In a fuel induction systemfor an internal combustion f engine, in combination,l

an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold` a sump below said intake manifold. means for draining unvaporized fuel particles from v said vintake manifold into-said sump, acommon wall between said Isump and said exhaust manifold whereby said liquid fuel in said sump will be heated, apassageway leading from the air above said sump terminatin'g close tothey bottom of said sump, said `passageway being formed for'the direct reception of liquid fuel .and including a tube surrounded by an electrical heating element, valvular means in said passageway, means for controlling said valvular means in direct.

relation to the speed ofsaid engine, and

(from said sump to said intake manifold.

18. In a fuel induction system for an internal combustion engine. a fuel mixture passageleading to a combustion chamber of said engine, a throttled carburetor connected to t the intake end of said fuel mixture passage,

a sump remote from said passage and adapted toreceive liquid fuel accumulating in said fo, fuel mixture passage, a passage connecting whereby air may be admitted directly into' said sump during normal operation of said means for passing a mixture of fuel and airl engine whereby to change said liquid fuel particles in said sump to a combustible mixture which may 'low to said combustion chamber through said passages.

19.A In a fuel induction system, a fuel mixturepassage leading to an engine combustion chamber, a pocket, a passage connecting said fuel mixture passage with said pocket, a passage for admitting air directly into said pocket, means for regulating the flow of air through the last mentioned passage in direct said pocket and delivering said vapor to said fuel mixture passage, and means for admit` ting heated air into said pocket in amounts directly proportional to the speed of said engine.

21. In a fuel induction system-for an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, a fuel mixture passage connecting said carburetor with a combustion chamber ofsaid engine, a pocket adapted toreceive liquid fuel from said fuel mixture passa-ge, means for supplying auxiliary air directly into said pocket, and

means for heating said lfuel and air in said pocket.

22. In a fuel induction system for an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, a fuel mixture passage leading from said carburetor to a combustion chamber'of said engine, a

sump adapted to receive liquid fuel from said passage, means for vaporizing said liquid fuel in said sump including thel introductlon of auxiliary air into said sump fduring normal contlnued operation of said englne, and means for delivering the mixture of the vaporized liquid fuel and auxiliary air to said combus-y tion chamber.

23. In a fuel induction system for` an internal combustion engine, a carburetor, a

fuel mixture passage leading from said carburetor to a combustion -chamber of said engine, avpocket yseparate froml said passage, means for drawing liquid fuel from lsaid passage into said pocket and returning s-aid liquid fuel yin vaporized form to sid passage, said means includingjmeans independent of said carburetor for introducing auxiliary air and `the application of heat to saiddrained fuel in said pocket for.vaporizing said drained 'y fuel and 'preparing it intoa combustible mixture before 'redelivery to said passage, the volume of said auxiliary aigx` being automatlcally regulated to maintain a predetermined fuel to air ratio.- l

- I-IOMVER A. TRUSSELL. 

